Opinion: Celebrating salmon and our other natural capital

When I first moved to B.C. in 1979, the Strait of Georgia had such a thriving wild Pacific salmon population that The Vancouver Sun hosted an annual salmon-fishing derby, publicized as the “largest free derby of its type in the world.” It drew thousands of people every year, and more than 7,200 in 1985, the event’s final year.

The event was a celebration of our natural capital and wild Pacific salmon, an icon of B.C. with generations of deep cultural, ecological and economic significance for our province.

Fast-forward a decade, and the number of wild Pacific salmon in the strait plummeted so dramatically that the harvest of wild Coho salmon in southern B.C. was banned, a restriction that continues to this day.

For 20 years there was no concerted effort to understand or respond to the loss of these fisheries. Then, in 2014, the Pacific Salmon Foundation and partner organizations launched the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project — a comprehensive study of the psychical, chemical and biological factors impacting salmon survival in the Salish Sea. Upcoming findings and recommendations will help improve fisheries-management policies and restore economic and cultural benefits for Salish Sea communities.

To address this gap, we need to explore new funding solutions, governance models and adopt a more collaborative approach to tackle our region’s environmental challenges.

For example, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, alongside partners from the non-profit, academic, private and public sectors, launched the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program. The initiative is aimed at better understanding the impact of shipping activities, such as underwater noise, on at-risk whales throughout the B.C. South Coast. Through its EcoAction Program, the port authority also provides discounted harbour due rates for vessels that implement underwater noise-reduction technology — making Canada the first country in the world to offer such an incentive.

Not only do these initiatives demonstrate how industry can play a meaningful role in helping preserve the environment, they also illustrate how collaboration can lead to innovative programs and new funding solutions.

Alternative governance models also present an option for more-efficient and effective environmental management, offering opportunities for local-driven policy and laying the foundation for self-sustaining operations.

For example, a watershed-based governance model would facilitate a deeper connection between residents and decision-makers at the regional level, looking at the wider interaction of water resources across sectors and within ecosystems. Or consider the genesis of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, which is the offspring of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Salmonid Enhancement Program.

Overall, whether focused on funding or governance models, we must embrace a more collaborative approach to environmental and wildlife management.

For years, I encountered silos both within and between governments, competition between universities and the growth of special-interest groups. Instead, we need collaboration that will enable each partner to leverage their unique expertise and resources, as well as promote a more holistic approach to the delivery of environmental programs.

For example, promoting the restoration of Chinook salmon and their habitat in southern B.C. would complement the port authority’s ECHO Program, as Chinook account for nearly 80 per cent of the diet for southern resident killer whales.

This International Earth Day, April 22, I wanted to leave readers with one parting thought: While more work is always needed, the good news is that salmon and their ecosystems, like the Strait of Georgia, are resilient. And the recipe for resiliency is straightforward.

First, we all need to value our region’s salmon and be part of solutions, whether as donors, volunteers, conservationists or all the above.

Second, the private sector must continue to view the environment as a cause of common interest and play an increasingly proactive role in addressing environmental challenges.

Lastly, we must send a message to all levels of government that our environment and wildlife are integral to the culture, economy and legacy of this great province. British Columbians have much to be proud of this International Earth Day, and let’s do our best to preserve it.

Dr. Brian Riddell is president and CEO of the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

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